Is this the oldest woman in Derbyshire?

Lucy Ball

She has seen six monarchs on the throne and watched 21 different Prime Ministers occupy 10 Downing Street but it was a quiet birthday for a 107-year-old woman from New Mills this week.

Norah Hill celebrated her big birthday on Monday and Watford House Residential Home threw her a spooky themed party to mark the occasion.

Nora Hill on her 107th birthday

Juliet Hallam, activity coordinator at the home, said: “Norah is a very quiet and gentle woman and it was lovely to share her special birthday with her.”

Norah, who was born on October 31, 1909, has lived in New Mills all her life.

If Halloween and her birthday were not enough to be celebrating on one day, Norah married her husband Colin on her 24th birthday in 1933 in Disley Church after they met at New Mills Parish Hall.

During the Second World War Colin served in the RAF in Burma and left behind his wife and his young son, Michael who was two when his father left the armed forces.

Juliet said: “Norah has never been abroad but used to love visiting Scarborough with Colin before he died.

“She really enjoys watching the cricket and loves listening to classical music and songs by Frank Sinatra.”

Norah has been at Watford House since April 2011 and is described by staff as a very kind and lovely woman.

Juliet said: “She takes great pride in her appearance and likes going to the hairdressers.” To mark her special birthday the chef made her a big cake and nursing staff got her flowers and they all dressed up.

She was also sent a birthday card by The Queen and a letter from High Peak MP Andrew Bingham.

Juliet said: “I have never seen a birthday card from The Queen before it was really beautiful.

“Norah spent most of the day beaming which was lovely.”

She has one son and a niece who lives in New Mills and Norah was visited by her family at the weekend.

Juliet added: “I think she had a lovely birthday and it was nice to be part of it and celebrate her life.”

How has Norah’s world changed?

When Norah was born the highest building was the Metropolitan Life Tower in Manhattan at 700 feet tall - now the Burj Dubai in Dubai wins at 2,684 feet. She has lived through two World Wars and cat litter, plasters, ballpoint pens and the humble milk carton were not even around when she was born. In 1909 the world’s population was only 1.7 billion, now it is 7.5 billion. The last person to be hung in the UK in 1964 when Norah was in her 50s.